Shelf and/or tray



June 3, 1969 H, KAGAN 3,447,489

SHELF AND/OR TRAY June 3, 1969 H. KAGAN SHELF AND/OH TRAY Sheet 2H cfgFiled May 15, 1957 y l 1w a d m@ W@ W .N w NN QN Nm I d pk H u W ||||1\\N\ M ww ww United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 108-30 5 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an improvement in a shelf and/or tray which is adjustable in its length. The invention comprises apair of sections, one telescoping within the other, to permit the lengthof the shelf to be adjusted, with a supporting bracket on each endthereof for securement to a wall or supporting surface to support theshelf in any `adjusted length. The two sections may be inverted so thata shelf tray is formed having the same adjustability aforementioned. Thefollowing structure may be included with the foregoing. A pair oftubular members each secured to one of the support brackets areadjustable with the adjustability of the shelf for supporting or hangingtowels, clothes hangers, and the like.

Summary of the invention The invention includes an adjustable shelf, thelength of which may be varied, which shelf may be inverted to form atray `shelf with opstanding border walls t prevent jars, bottles andother objects from being acci dentally shoved or knocked olf the trayshelf. It also may include an adjustable rod-like member on which towelsand other Aobjects may be hung.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved shelfformed of a pair yof sections,'one telescoping within the other topermit the adjustment of the length of the shelf and Where thesupporting brackets for the shelf are detachably secured, fone to eachend of the shelf sections, which supporting `brackets are in turnadapted to `be secured to a wall or supporting surface. This provides anadjustable shelf of any desired adjusted length t-o be mounted on thewall, thereby eliminating the need for the manufacture of shelves ofvarious prescribed lengths.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structure yof theforegoing character where by inverting the shelf sections a tray shelf-may be formed having upstanding flanges to prevent bottles, jars andlike articles from being slid or pushed olic the tray shelf.

Another object of this invention is to provide a telescopic memberpositioned below the shelf or tray for the purpose -of hanging towels,clothes hangers, and the like.

Other objects will become apparent -as this description progresses.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1,is a top plan elevationalview of the invention partly in section;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view partly in section;

FIGURE 3 is a fr-ont view, partly in section, with the top memberinverted to form a combination shelf tray;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on lines 4 4 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on lines '5-5 of FIG- URE l;

IFIGURE 6 is a view taken on lines 6-6 of FIG- URE 1, and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of one of the support brackets.

Description of the embodiments The adjustable top member, generallyindicated at 10, which forms the shelf portion of the unit is best shown-in FIGURES 1 and 2 and is formed of two sections 12 and 14, eachpreferably formed of metal. Section 12 comprises a horizontal wall 16, adownwardly extending front flange 18 which is reversely bent at itslower end to form a generally U-shaped lip 20. The rear of thehorizontal wall 16 likewise has a rearwardly and downwardly extendingange 22 which is reversely bent at its lower end to form a generallyIU-shaped lip 23, similar to the lip 20 formed on the front flange 18.The front and rear -lips 20 and 23 serve to form trackways 24 and 25 inwhich slides section 14 of the shelf. The outer end of section 12 isturned downwardly to form an end wall 26 and same is provided with anopening 28. The lower end of end wall 26 is reversely :bent as at 27 tolie flat against the end wall.

'Section 14 has a horizontal wall 29, a downwardly extending frontflange 30 which is reversely bent at its lower end as at 32 and liesiiat against the front ange. The rear of the horizontal wall 29 has arearwardly and downwardly extending iiange 34 which is reversely bent atits lower end as at 35 to lie at against the rear liange. The outer endof section 14 is turned downwardly t0 form an end wall 36 and same isprovided with a central opening 37.

The two sections 12 and 14 are vinterlitted, with section 1'44telescoping into section 12, so that the front and rear ilanges 30 and34 of section 14 nest respectively within the front and rear anges 18and 22 of section 12 and the bottom ends of the llanges 30 and 34 ofsection 14 form runners which Aslide within the trackways 24 and 25 ofthe section 12. 'I'he two sections 12 and 14 may 'be moved inwardlytowards each other to reduce the length of the combined shelf unit orthey may be moved outwardly in relation to each other to a maximumextent to extend the length of the Shelf. i

A support bracket, generally designated by the numeral 40, is positionedvat each of the opposite ends and mounted on a -wall or verticalsupporting surface. Each bracket supports` one of the opposite ends ofthe telescopic shelf. rIlhe support brackets 40 are right and left handand hence a description of one will suflice. The support bracket 40,formed preferably of metal, is shaped as best shown in FIGURE 7 andcomprises an rupper end wall 42, and an inwardly turned horizontalportion 44, with the metal extending downwardly from the inner end ofthe horizontal portion to form the lower end wall 46. The metal formingthe lower end wall 46 is then turned inwardly to form an inclined frontportion 48 and then turned upwardly to form yan inside portion S0 whichextends parallel to the outside end wall 46 of the bracket. The lowerend wall 46 at its rear is bent inwardly at right angles to the end wallto form an extension 52 which is provided with a bayonet-type slot 54adjacent the top and an opening 56 adjacent the bottom. The slot andopening l54 and 56 receive screws 57 0r like fastening elements whichsecure the support brackets 40 to the wall or vertical support. AnL-shaped anged 58 is secured or brazed at its bottom to the horizontalportion 44 and said ange forms the upper front wall of the supportbracket. The upper edge of the ange 58 and the upper edge of the upperend wall 42 are turned inwardly and downwardly to eliminate any sharpedges.

The inside portion 50 of the support bracket has an enlarged annularopening 60 for the purpose of receiving one of the ends of thetelescopic tubular member generally indicated at y62. The telescopictubular member 62 comprises a pair of tubular members 63 and 64 ofdifferent diameters so that the tubular member 63 telescopes into member64. The outer end of each of the tubular members is received in itsrespective opening 60 and is held therein by a fastening screw 66 or thelike passing through the front inclined portion 48 and through anopening in the tube to secure the tube to said support bracket, as bestseen in FIGURES 5 and 6. The telescopic tubes are adjustable and may beextended or reduced in length to conform to the adjustable length of theshelf.

As best shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the opposite ends of the shelf portionare supported in the upper portion of the support brackets, with theopposite ends of the shelf portion nesting within the coniines of theupper ends of the bracket and resting on the horizontal portions 44.When the support brackets are secured to the wall the shelf is confinedat its forward end by reason of the front wall 58 and at its rear by thewall structure or vertical support to which the brackets are secured. Toprevent removal of the shelf portion from the support brackets afastening screw 68 passes through an opening 70 in the end wall 42 ofthe bracket and through either one of the alined openings 28 or 37 inthe respective end walls of each of the shelf sections. With thefastening screws secured the shelf cannot be lifted or removed from thesupport bracket arms without unscrewing the fastening members. Y

If it is desired to use the shelf as a tray the two sections in theirtelescopic position are turned upside down or invetred so that a tray isformed from the two sections, as best shown in FIGURE 3. The tray wouldbe extensible and contractible in the same manner yas previouslydescribed, however, in the tray position there are upstanding front andrear walls which extend upwardly of the horizontal portions of thesections. In the tray position what was formerly the front and rear ofthe shelf sections are reversed and the former rear walls become thefornt wall of the tray. The tray is supported and secured to the supportbrackets in the same manner as previously described. Thus, the twosections may be used either .as a shelf in the normal manner or byturning them upside down serve as a tray. In the tray manner they alsoserve as a shelf, however, the tray has the additional advantage in thatit prevents bottles, jars and the like from being accidentally pushedolf the front, rear and opposite ends of the tray. The telescopictubular member may be used to hang towels or support clothes hangers onwhich clothes may be hung.

I claim:

1. A structure of the character described comprising, a pair ofsupporting brackets adapted to be mounted on 4 a wall or supportingsurface, each of said supporting brackets havingfan upper portionprovided with a vertically extending end wall and a vertically extendingfront wall and a horizontal wall, la plurality of sections forming ashelf portion, one section being telescopically interengaged with theother to permit adjustment of the length of the shelf portion, theoutermost ends of the two outermost sections each yadapted to besupported on one of said supporting brackets and to rest on thehorizontal wall of the bracket with the ends of the shelf portionconiined within the end wall and front wall of the bracket, saidbrackets each having a downwardly extending lower wall extending belowthe horizontal wall.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which each of the sections hasan end wall with adjacent end walls of the bracket and section havingaline'd openings to receive a fastening element to detachably secure theshelf to the brackets.

3. A structure as defined in claim 1 in'which the sections each have ahorizontal wall and spaceddownwardly front and rear walls extendinglongitudinally thereof, and when the sections are inverted form =a trayshelf with the front and rear walls extending upwardly of the horizontalwall of the sections.

4. A structure as deiined in claim 1 in which the downwardly extendinglower wall of the bracket supports a telescopic tubular member which isadjustable with the length of the shelf portion whereby a towel or thelike may be hung on said telescopic tubular member.

5. A structure as defined in c laim 1in which the bottom of the lowerwall of the bracket has an inwardly and upwardly turned inner wallspaced from the lower wall and substantially parallel thereto ,and whichis provided with an opening to receive the end of a tubular member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 905,737 12/1908 McCombe 10S-102 X984,857 2/ 1911 Schuftan 10S-106 2,441,721 5/ 1948 Schroeder 10S-102 X2,657,810 11/ 1953 Garrick 10S-102 X 2,827,555 3/1958 Woolley 211-90 X2,870,916 1/1959 La Bonia etal. 108-102 X 2,948,405 8/1960 Smith 10S-102X ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

RAYMOND D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner.

